About Me

Thursday, March 31, 2011

The move

So, we've decided to move.

The economy is horrible right now for new graduates. I'm attending a quality law school, and, under most circumstances, law school graduates from the University of Cincinnati have no problem finding good jobs. Large law firms, mid-sized firms, small law firms, judicial clerkships, government jobs--not a problem. Heck, we even had ourselves a president (President Taft) and Supreme Court Chief Justice (ummm--Chief Justice Taft) back in the day. And we're still the most-respected law school in the Cincinnati area.

Problem is, no one's hiring, except for the government. The Cincinnati branch of the firm I'm clerking at just laid off two of their seven attorneys. Most of my classmates can't find work. Those that have found work either have good connections (we're talking life-long family connections here) or fantastic law school grades (top 15% of the class--where I'm at--apparently don't cut it).

Last year was the same--and I think the lack of jobs led to UC Law's drop in the Law School rankings. Still decently ranked, but a bit lower than when I first entered. I think Ohio is dying. Good grades, two years of Law Review, fantastic job experience (two years clerking for a mid-sized firm), and a (rare in law) science/medicine background aren't good enough for me to be hired in this economy, so we've decided to pick up and move. Better to be jobless and be close to family than to be jobless and isolated.

I think the job market is a little better out West. April's from Idaho Falls, so we've decided to move out there as soon as I graduate. I sent in my Idaho bar application today, and I'll take the bar there in late July. Hopefully the fact that I'll be living in Idaho will be a big help in finding a job there--employers are more likely to ask for an interview when you're already in the area.

We move right after graduation, in mid-May. So we're packing, I'm looking into getting a two-way radio and a wireless FM modulator (April will have a CD player in the car while I'll be driving the moving truck, so I need my music to keep me going), and we're looking into how to get the cheapest moving truck. And, of course, I'm still looking for job openings out there. Wish us luck.

4 comments:

Oh wow! I see the wisdom in your decision and I'm sure you've gone by the spirit too, but moving is never fun or easy, so I wish you luck. You're taking a leap of faith but I know everything will work out for you at the right time. (We know about those leaps of faith.) And I'm so excited that you'll be closer: 6 1/2 hrs, it looks like, according to Google. I guess April will have to find a new doctor quick. We'll be praying for you! What date do you graduate?

I graduate May 14th--the same day we move (so we'll get a late start).

It is cheaper to tow our car, but many moving trucks don't have three seatbelts, and event those that do are crowded (and then there's the whole safety issue with having a young child in the front seat). We decided it would be easier to have both of us drive. Plus, April can drive faster (those moving trucks are slow) but will need to take more breaks, so if we travel separately we should make better time.